Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-18
THE GREAT WRECK.
Evidence of carelessnsss ON the Part O
Railroad sIen-Ths wounded.

Evidence of Carelessness ON the Part OF
Railroad Men-Ths wounded.
CHATswoRTH, H., Aug. 17.-Diosbe-
dience and cbtuseness were the cause of
this slaughter at Davis crossing on Thurs
day morning. Had Section Foreman Cough.
lin obeyed the spirit and letter of instruc-
tons he received from his superior off,
Ger, n had some OF the men, one Of
them in particular, who saw lights on
the railroad track for an hour Wadnes-
day night, exercised themselves to the
extent of a two mile ride on a hand car
the catastrophe would not have occurred.
These were the primary facts developed
by the c%oroner's jury, which, for seven
long hours examined witness after wit
ness in its endeavor to secure some light
regarding the causes which led to the
disaster. The inquiry took place in the
public school building and here. The
former jury developed facts and elected
details in d style which would have been
creditable TO q jury composed of exper-
fenced members of the bar. A. large
number of witnesses testified.
Several residents of Piper City saw q
light burning on the track towards
Chatsworth on the night of the accident,
but made 10 efforts to Investigate the
cause. Some OF them Thought il was tho
headlight OF a locomotive. Joseph Nor
ris, . farmer living o half mile south of
the culvert swore that he saw two or
three section men firing the grass close
to this bridge just before dark on Wednes-
day AFTERNOON After dark he saw q
blaze In that direction big enough to
make him think that q building was on
fire.
This testimony was corroborated by
other farmers and is in contradiction to
the testimony Of Coughlin, which was to
the effect that no fire had been lighted
near the bridge. After the witnesses
had been dismissed the jury held q secret
consultation, 1t was decided to bring
the inquiry to q close the following day.
1t il likely that d verdict will be reached
by noon.
PEORIA, III, Aug. 17.--Soms of the
Peoria wounded are not deing so well as
they were a day or two ago and it is not
improbable that the death list from here
may be swelled at almost any time. Mrs.
Walters, who Was not thought at first to
pc seriously wounded, has taken arapid
turn Tor the worse and Adam Schamberger
AID Mr.. Abraham, a eigarmaker, are
now in q critical condition Advices
from the Peoria wounded at Piper City
states that Miss Pearl Adams is slowly
Improving, while William Smith, the
young ma who was bnried here by proxy
some days ago is growing worse. Will
lam Forbes, the township collector, of
Elmwood, is still alive but very low. Mr..
and Mrs. DIR. Hazen, of Fort Madison,
Iowa, and Miss Allen, of Nest Point, ali
very seriously wounded, nave left for
home IN q special car expressly fitted up
with every appliance that could render
the journey easy and comfortable. va
To show how world wide is the interest
taken in the great catastrophe it may be
stated that several people here have re,
ceived dispatches from Europe, more es.
peciaily from Germany, making inquir-
les after friends and relatives who were
believed to be in the wreck.